The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has stated that Joash Amupitan should step down from his role as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Adebayo said resignation would be necessary if allegations surrounding a controversial X (formerly Twitter) account are confirmed to be linked to Amupitan, despite the INEC chairman’s strong denial of any association with it. He stressed that issues of integrity would be central to public confidence in the electoral body if the claim is proven true.
“If it is traced back to him and he denies it, it raises integrity concerns,” Adebayo, who is an international lawyer said, adding that “if a prima facie case of dishonesty is established, resignation might be warranted.”
During an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Adebayo said that although digital content is subject to manipulation, ownership can be traced through forensic analysis.
He indicated that the issue could be addressed either through legal proceedings or a legislative inquiry.
“It is widely recognized that in the digital realm, manipulation is possible; however, forensic tracing of identity exists. It is a matter of whether someone will pursue legal action to contest his qualifications based on partisanship and provide evidence, or if the National Assembly will initiate an investigation, potentially through its INEC committees,” he stated.
The former presidential candidate further noted that even if it were established that the account belonged to Amupitan, this would not necessarily disqualify him from holding office according to the law.
“The stipulation is that at the time of appointment, one should not be affiliated with any political party. This does not imply that one could not have been a member in the past or that one did not participate in voting.
“An individual who voted in 2023 may still be eligible to become the INEC chairman in 2025,” Adebayo explained.
“In a straightforward situation like this, if you are already deceiving the public and we are expected to trust you with determining election results, it then becomes an integrity issue,” he concluded.
The controversy revolves around accusations that an X account, allegedly associated with Amupitan, disseminated partisan content supporting the All Progressives Congress, APC, during the 2023 general election.
This situation has elicited mixed responses, with some opposition leaders and civil society organizations demanding further investigation, while others regard the allegations as politically motivated.
Additionally, some social media users have circulated screenshots purporting to show links between the account and information on the chairman’s academic profile.
Nevertheless, INEC has denied these allegations, asserting that Amupitan does not own or manage any personal X account and has never participated in partisan commentary.
The commission characterized the allegations as a “malicious and coordinated campaign of calumny” intended to undermine its impartiality.
It also cautioned that cybercriminals frequently create fraudulent accounts in the names of public officials and stated that it is collaborating with security agencies to identify those responsible for such actions.
